SO SAD to hear of this news upon my arrival at Forbidden Island TONIGHT - of all nights!! I guess my timing SUCKS, as tonight (of all nights....) I decided to take an extra-long layover at SFO to hang at FI..... & I can say that I truly missed Martin tonite at FI

A heartfelt thanks for all of the wonderful things you did at FI - you are truly the heart & soul of the place & we will all miss you tremendously. It really wasn't the same without you. I very much look forward to seeing you in the future & wish you absolutely ALL THE BEST!!!!!

Martin, with Forbidden Island, you created such a wonderful Tiki bar and ambiance. The kind of place a person wants to go back to over and over. You have made the Tiki community a better place, and have set a high standard for anyone dreaming of opening their own bar. Thank you! Please keep us all posted on whatever you're doing next.

Wow...Wow...Wow!! Such a shock! Thanks Martin for all the great times, superior cocktails and incredible hospitality at Forbidden Island over the years!!! What you did with Forbidden Island made me do things I thought I would never do, such as:

- Choosing a neighborhood bar that is located 45 miles each way from my house
- Driving to that bar approx. once a week for a couple of years.
- Drinking 97 different rums to complete the Kill Devil list in just over 6 weeks.
- Spending 3 New Year's Eve's at said bar
- Having my living room built out by Bamboo Ben to give me the same feel as Forbidden Island
- Building my personal rum collection from 3 bottles of rum to nearly 90 different rums.
- Deciding that it was a good idea to hold a rum tasting in the NorCal Ohana suite at Tiki Oasis with
over 40 people sharing 30 bottles of rum.....and then most of the people passing out and missing Friday
night at Tiki Oasis
- Hauling my team from work, who does not get tiki, 30 minutes north for our annual holiday party at
Forbidden Island...3 years in a row
- Standing in line for 4-5 hours for a tiki mug!
- Buying a professional-grade breathalyzer so I could be sure that I was ready to make the journey home
after a night at Forbidden Island
- Trying to always keep fresh limes and fresh mint at my house....it does make such a difference!

Martin, to see that I will never see you in "your element" (like F.I. was) pains me. But a man with your talents and knowledge should be snapped up by any mixology-conscious establishment worth its limes, presto.

Very sad news indeed.
For myself, an out of towner and one who wasnt hip as to when Martin's shifts were, it was always exciting making the trip up with the chance thought, "I hope Martin's working tonight". Unfortunatley it seemed I usually chose his off days. Here's for his next endeavour on meeting up on his on days.

Martin,
Wow big news. I'm kinda sad Now.
but Happy that I did go there 4 times, and 2 while you were there.
and 2 of those were this past weekend, good seeing you man,
thanks for everything.
good luck in the Future with whatever you pursue.
Hey Come to So. Cal. OC area. we need a great tiki bar down here.
Aloha.

Mike,
I will continue to go to FI when I come to Nor. Cal. for surf shows.
and It saddens me deeply that I missed Meshugga Beach Party by 1 week.

i, like Stuckie, have always been missed Martin at FI ~ so it was extra special, when we ran into each other at a tiny restaurant on Lombard Street last December! talked about cocktails (ha, and i dont drink!), tiki and restaurants over our breakfasts ~

Martin will be somewhere behind a bar soon, i hope ~ hey, how about Vessel in Seattle?